Moving On
by DarkQueenDraconite
Summary: Haruka is heartbroken after Risa starts to officially date Otani. How can Seiko, a box of chocolates, and his own realizations help him find the person right for him? HarukaxSeiko


**~Moving On~**

_A short drabble of what Haruka felt when Risa rejected him all this time. I've only watched about half the anime, so correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks!_

_**Pairings: Haruka x Seiko**_

Seiko's eyes were calm as she loaded the cookies out of the oven. Haruka watched her steadily working from a distance, her mouth chattering away while her eyes remained focused. He himself was slumping against the back wall, deep in gloom. _Risa and the midget. Risa and the midget._

Just then, Seiko said something, and laughed. Haruka looked over.

Haruka never thought of Seiko as a guy—if Seishiro wanted to be known as a girl, then so be it. Haruka had all-too-familiar experiences of gender confusion too, and he wasn't about to be a hypocrite.

Seiko had this ability to multitask—although notorious as a busy chatterer, she could be insightful at the same time. Now, even as she taught baking cookies to a younger student, he could tell she was pondering something.

Haruka had grown to know Seiko quite well. He didn't normally get along well with other guys, and most girls fell for him extremely quickly. Seiko was the only one who didn't seem interested or annoyed with him, and Haruka had to admit that she was good company.

Seiko finished baking, and after congratulating her _kouhai_, she skipped over to Haruka.

"Haruka-kun!" She chirped. "I saw you over here; how are you doing today?"

"Poorly, thank you," he said formally, as he always did. "And you?"

Seiko's smile was a bit sad. "Me? Not too bad…but not my best either, I suppose."

The two stood in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. Haruka noticed, rather abstractedly, that Seiko's hand was very close to his own.

The words kept repeating in his head. _Risa and the midget. Risa and the midget. Going out for dates. Going out for dates._

Finally, Haruka cleared his throat. "So…I guess you won't be chasing Otani anymore?" He could've mentally slapped himself. Well, wasn't that a stupid question? Now that Risa and Otani were officially "together", neither Haruka or Seiko could stand a chance.

Seiko shook her head, a strange little smile quirking on her lips. "I gave up on him a while ago, anyways."

_But I didn't give up on Risa, _Haruka thought grimly. He'd known that eventually Risa would get together with the midget. It didn't stop him from trying his hardest to stop them though. Haruka hadn't understood why Risa would forgive the midget for hurting her feelings so many times; but now he saw that even the midget could provide comfort to Risa more than Haruka could.

His hands shook slightly. Seiko saw, and gently clasped his hands within her own.

"And Risa?" Her words were soft, but they cut Haruka to the core.

"We're…I guess I have no chance with her anymore," Haruka said bitterly. He'd never get to take brave, headstrong, Risa out on a date, ever. Angry tears pricked his eyes, and he willed them back. A trick he'd learned a few years ago.

Seiko hugged him briefly, letting him know that she too felt the pain of rejection. Then she let go, and Haruka was mildly surprised that he missed her warmth.

"Here, these are for you." Seiko said, handing a box of chocolates to Haruka. "Just go home today, okay? The Home Ec Club will do fine with just me."

Haruka shook his head in protest, but the look in Seiko's eyes said otherwise.

"I-I guess I'll go, then."

Seiko nodded in approval.

Like a shadow, Haruka slipped from the room, holding the box of chocolate tightly in his hands. On the way out, he stopped at the lavatory—when he came out, however, he heard whispers in the room next to him.

"…heartbroken…didn't know he could be so cruel…"

Haruka's ears pricked. Who were the whisperers talking about?

"She's crying her heart out in the home ec room, bless her…" a voice whispered.

"If only he'd return Seiko-chan's feelings!" This voice, a girl's, whispered angrily. "I'd thought he'd get over Risa by now!"

Haruka stood quite still, unable to believe what he just heard. Seiko was crying over him? More importantly, she _liked _him?

Haruka swallowed. There were footsteps, and he quickly stepped back into the lavatory, his thoughts reeling. There were only two people Haruka knew liked Risa; and they were the midget and himself.

Seiko was crying over him? She liked Haruka? His thoughts reeled.

Was it possible…that Seiko was sad because Haruka was still not over Risa? Was that what she meant when she hugged him, telling him without words that she too knew rejection? Rejection from Haruka?

Slowly, Haruka opened the chocolate box. Seiko's chocolates, as usual, were superb, but there was a note inside.

"Dear Haruka,

I hope that you'll find peace and happiness. It's been hard for both of us, but I wish for you to be happy."

From, Seiko.

Haruka could see her message. _Move on. _Move on from Risa.

How could he do that to the only brave girl he knew?

But….perhaps Risa wasn't the only brave girl. Perhaps, Seiko was brave too, because she kept supporting him, even when she was feeling pain herself.

Haruka's hands smoothed out the crumpled note.

_Maybe…Seiko is suited to me more than Risa is_, he thought.

Haruka bit into a chocolate, and instead of admiring the rich creamy flavor, he could taste Seiko's feelings.

_Seiko…maybe I could learn to love her. Maybe I can move on._

Haruka stood up abruptly, knocking over a chair. _Haruka and Seiko_. He smiled. He liked the sound of that.

Clutching the box of chocolates, Haruka resolved to bake a new batch of cookies for Seiko to bring in the next morning.


End file.
